KOCHI: Kerala is at a pivotal moment in shaping the next phase of reforms in the higher education sector, and all efforts will be made to transform the state into a hub of higher education in the country, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday.
Making the inaugural address at the two-day International Conclave on Next-gen Higher Education at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), he said the state has realised that higher education was an area that needed focused attention.
“This conclave is an international call of an emerging hub of higher education with many institutions of academic diversity and autonomous research centres of excellence,” added the CM. He highlighted how Kerala is committed to transforming itself into a people-centric knowledge society, employing a dual strategy to achieve this goal.
“On one hand, the focus is on enhancing the employability of individuals by improving their skills and knowledge, with curriculum modifications made to support these objectives. On the other hand, equal emphasis is placed on knowledge creation, with a focus on advancing research and innovation. Strong, society-connected knowledge can only be built through robust research, and this area must be further developed,” said Pinarayi.
He said that the state government aims to make quality higher education accessible to everyone and inclusive for learners with different learning challenges and needs. “Kerala’s higher education sector is being transformed to meet local needs and global demands.
We will welcome learners and educators who are ready to work cooperatively on local and global issues. Building a critical mass of international students and faculty for higher education, translational research and collaborative knowledge production, is key in this effort. We will mobilise and motivate learners and educators to work with us to strengthen innovative teaching and learning.”
To promote greater diversity on Kerala’s campuses, the state government aims to attract both national and international students, said the CM. “Kerala is exploring innovative areas such as graduate tracking, a system designed to monitor and evaluate the career paths of individuals who have completed higher education. These efforts signify Kerala’s commitment to fostering a globally competitive higher education sector,” said Pinarayi.
“We envision a re-imagined higher education system that places equal emphasis on knowledge, skills, and aptitude. This vision guided Kerala’s implementation of the Four Year Degree Programme, which was not merely about adding an extra year of study but about ensuring that every student gains the essential knowledge, skills, and aptitude needed to succeed. As part of this effort, initiatives such as campus industrial parks and skill parks have been launched in various parts of the state,” he added.
Another effort being made by the state government is to engage the Malayali academic diaspora in this conclave, said the CM. “A new initiative will be developed to connect the Malayali academic diaspora and their expertise, along with the knowledge from international institutions, with the higher education institutions in Kerala,” Pinarayi said.
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